1. Understanding the Basics of Local SEO in the U.S.
Local SEO in the United States is more than just adding a city name to your keywords. It’s about understanding how American consumers search for local businesses, what Google looks for when ranking local results, and how this differs from general SEO practices. Whether youre managing a small business or running an agency, having a solid grasp of these basics is key to building a successful local SEO strategy using tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs.
What Makes Local SEO Unique in the U.S.?
The U.S. market is unique due to its size, diversity, and competitive landscape. American consumers rely heavily on mobile searches, online reviews, and map-based results when choosing local businesses. This means your local SEO strategy must focus on visibility within Google Maps, strong review profiles, and accurate business information across directories.
Key Differences Between Local SEO and Traditional SEO
| Aspect | Traditional SEO | Local SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Search Intent | Broad or national-level queries | Location-specific queries (e.g., “best pizza near me”) |
| Ranking Factors | Backlinks, content quality, site speed | Google Business Profile, NAP consistency, local citations |
| Search Results Format | Standard organic listings | Map Pack (Local 3-Pack) + organic listings |
Understanding U.S. Consumer Behavior
In the U.S., mobile usage dominates local search behavior. Most users will search for services while on the go—often using voice search or typing terms like “near me.” They also heavily rely on star ratings and customer reviews before making purchasing decisions. This makes it essential to manage your online reputation and ensure your business appears prominently in map-based results.
U.S. Local Ranking Factors According to Google
Google uses three primary factors to determine which businesses show up in local search results:
- Relevance: How well your business profile matches what someone is searching for.
- Distance: How close your location is to the searcher’s location.
- Prominence: How well-known your business is based on links, reviews, and citations.
This is where tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs come into play—they help identify keyword opportunities with local intent, audit backlink profiles for local relevance, and monitor competitors who are ranking in specific geographic areas.
2. Setting Up SEMrush and Ahrefs for Local SEO
If youre targeting customers in a specific U.S. city or region, configuring your SEO tools correctly is key to success. Both SEMrush and Ahrefs offer features tailored to local SEO, but you need to know how to set them up properly. Heres a step-by-step guide to get you started with tracking local keyword rankings, auditing local backlinks, and monitoring nearby competitors.
Tracking Local Keyword Rankings
To reach potential customers in your area, you must know how your website ranks for location-specific search terms. Heres how to track these keywords:
SEMrush
- Go to Position Tracking under the “Projects” section.
- Create a new project or select an existing one.
- Add your target keywords and specify the location down to the ZIP code level.
- Select the device type (desktop or mobile) based on your audience’s habits.
Ahrefs
- Navigate to Rank Tracker.
- Create a new project by entering your domain and adding your keywords.
- Set the location by choosing a country, state, or even a city in the U.S.
- Start tracking and monitor performance over time.
Auditing Local Backlinks
Backlinks from other local websites can significantly boost your local SEO. Use both tools to analyze whos linking to you and identify opportunities within your geographic market.
SEMrush
- Select Backlink Audit under “Projects.”
- Filter backlinks by TLD (.us, .com) or referring domains located in the U.S.
- Look for links from directories, local blogs, chambers of commerce, and community sites.
Ahrefs
- Use the Site Explorer tool and enter your domain name.
- Click on “Backlinks” and filter results by region or language using advanced filters.
- You can also check referring domains for local relevance by looking at their IP address locations or About pages.
Monitoring Local Competitors
Understanding who youre competing with locally gives you insights into what’s working in your niche and area. Both platforms allow you to keep tabs on competitors’ strategies.
SEMrush
- Use the Domain Overview tool to analyze competitor websites.
- Select U.S.-based competitors and compare keyword overlap, traffic sources, and backlink profiles.
- The Market Explorer tool helps identify similar businesses in your area that are gaining traction online.
Ahrefs
- Add competitor domains into the Site Explorer.
- Review their top pages by traffic in your shared location-based keywords.
- You can also use the Content Gap feature to find keywords they rank for that you don’t yet target.
A Quick Comparison Table: Key Local SEO Features in SEMrush vs. Ahrefs
| Feature | SEMrush | Ahrefs |
|---|---|---|
| Local Keyword Tracking (City/ZIP) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Backlink Filtering by Location | ✔ | ✔ (via advanced filters) |
| Competitor Domain Analysis (Local) | ✔ | ✔ |
| User-Friendly Interface for Local Setup | ✔✔ | ✔ |
| Email Alerts for Ranking Changes (Local) | ✔ | ✔ |
No matter which platform you prefer, properly setting up SEMrush or Ahrefs for local SEO ensures youre focusing on the right data—helping small businesses compete effectively in their own backyard across the U.S.
3. Keyword Research with a Local Focus
When it comes to local SEO in the U.S., keyword research is all about understanding how people search for businesses and services in their specific area. With tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs, you can uncover high-intent local keywords that your target audience is actually using. This step is crucial for helping your business show up in front of potential customers who are ready to take action.
Using Geo-Modifiers to Target Location-Specific Searches
Geo-modifiers are keywords that include specific locations such as city names, neighborhoods, or even zip codes. For example, instead of just targeting “plumber,” you’d want to target “plumber in Austin” or “emergency plumber Los Angeles.” These terms help ensure youre attracting traffic from people looking for services in your area.
Examples of Geo-Modified Keywords
| Service | Generic Keyword | Geo-Modified Keyword |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | dentist | dentist in Chicago |
| Coffee Shop | coffee shop | coffee shop Brooklyn NY |
| Real Estate Agent | real estate agent | real estate agent San Diego |
Finding Local Keywords Using SEMrush and Ahrefs
Both SEMrush and Ahrefs offer robust tools for discovering localized keywords. Here’s how you can use them:
SEMrush Steps:
- Go to the Keyword Magic Tool.
- Enter a base keyword (e.g., “hair salon”).
- Add location terms like city or neighborhood (e.g., “hair salon Dallas”).
- Filter by keyword difficulty and volume to find the best opportunities.
Ahrefs Steps:
- Use the Keywords Explorer tool.
- Type in your service plus a U.S. city or ZIP code.
- Check out the “Matching Terms” and “Phrase Match” sections for variations.
- Sort by CPC or Traffic Potential to prioritize high-intent keywords.
Diving Deeper: Neighborhood-Specific Keywords
If you’re targeting large cities like New York, Los Angeles, or Houston, don’t stop at city-level keywords—go hyperlocal. People often search using neighborhood names like “pizza near Williamsburg Brooklyn” or “dog groomer Silver Lake LA.” These long-tail keywords may have lower search volumes but they tend to convert better because they reflect strong purchase intent.
Popular U.S. City Neighborhoods You Can Target:
| City | Neighborhood Example | Keyword Example |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Williamsburg | williamsburg brooklyn yoga studio |
| Los Angeles | Silver Lake | silver lake la vegan cafe |
| Chicago | Lincoln Park | dental clinic lincoln park chicago |
Tapping into Search Intent: What Are People Really Looking For?
The goal isn’t just to attract any traffic—it’s to attract users who are likely to become customers. Look for keywords that suggest action, such as:
- “near me”: dentist near me, gym near me open now.
- “best”: best taco truck in Austin.
- “open now/today”: nail salon open today Chicago.
- “services”: lawn care services Miami FL.
This kind of intent-focused keyword research will help you connect with users who are ready to make a decision—and thats exactly what local SEO is all about.
4. Local Link Building Strategies
Building high-quality local backlinks is a key part of any successful local SEO strategy in the U.S. With tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs, you can uncover powerful opportunities to boost your local presence through strategic link building. Below are some effective methods tailored to the U.S. market.
Leverage Local Business Directories
One of the simplest ways to get started with local link building is by submitting your business information to well-known U.S.-based directories. These not only provide backlinks but also help customers find your business more easily.
Popular U.S. Business Directories
| Directory Name | Domain Authority (approx.) | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Yelp | 93 | yelp.com |
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) | 91 | bbb.org |
| Yellow Pages | 88 | yellowpages.com |
| Manta | 80 | manta.com |
Sponsor Local Events or Nonprofits
Sponsorships are a great way to earn high-quality local backlinks while supporting your community. Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to research local event websites or nonprofit organizations that accept sponsors and link back to them.
How to Find Sponsorship Opportunities Using Ahrefs
- Go to Ahrefs Content Explorer.
- Search for terms like “sponsor us” + your city name (e.g., “sponsor us Chicago”).
- Filter results by domain rating and relevance.
- Reach out to potential partners with a personalized sponsorship pitch.
Engage with Local Communities Online and Offline
Community engagement helps build trust and naturally earns links. Participate in forums, Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and blogs related to your niche and location. Offline involvement like attending meetups or hosting workshops can also lead to mentions on local blogs or news sites.
Community Engagement Ideas for Backlinks
- Collaborate with local bloggers for interviews or guest posts.
- Create resource guides featuring other local businesses—many will return the favor with a backlink.
- Sponsor or speak at local events that list contributors on their websites.
- Get featured in local newspapers or radio stations with online platforms.
Track and Analyze Your Backlinks with SEMrush and Ahrefs
After securing backlinks, its important to monitor their performance. Both SEMrush and Ahrefs allow you to track new backlinks, check domain authority, and evaluate referral traffic so you can focus on what works best.
Pro Tip:
You can set alerts in both tools to notify you when new backlinks are acquired or lost—keeping you informed and proactive in your SEO efforts.
Using these U.S.-focused link building strategies along with SEMrush and Ahrefs will help boost your visibility in local search results and bring more targeted traffic to your website.
5. Tracking and Measuring Local SEO Success
Once you’ve implemented your local SEO strategies using SEMrush and Ahrefs, the next step is to track performance and measure success—especially with a focus on U.S.-based markets. Here’s how to understand which metrics matter, how to read ranking improvements, and how to adjust your strategy using localized data.
Key Local SEO Metrics to Monitor
Both SEMrush and Ahrefs offer valuable insights for tracking local SEO. Here are some important metrics to watch:
| Metric | Description | Tool(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Local Keyword Rankings | Track how well your site ranks for location-specific keywords (e.g., “dentist in Austin TX”). | SEMrush, Ahrefs |
| Local Pack Presence | See if your business appears in Google’s 3-pack for relevant queries. | SEMrush (Position Tracking), Google SERP integration |
| Backlink Quality by Region | Analyze backlinks from U.S.-based domains or local directories. | Ahrefs (Backlink Profile) |
| Traffic by Location | Understand which cities or states are driving traffic. | Google Analytics (with SEMrush/Ahrefs data) |
| Citations and NAP Consistency | Check for consistent business name, address, and phone number listings across platforms. | SEMrush (Listing Management) |
How to Interpret Local Ranking Improvements
If you see a positive shift in your keyword rankings within SEMrush or Ahrefs, especially for geo-targeted terms, it’s a good sign that your local strategy is working. For example, moving from position 15 to position 5 for “best pizza in Chicago” means more visibility and likely more foot traffic. Pay close attention to:
- Your average position over time for top local keywords
- The number of keywords showing in the top 3 spots (especially the Local Pack)
- Your competitors’ movement—if you’re gaining while they’re losing, that’s a win
Adjusting Strategy Based on U.S.-Centric Data
The U.S. market is unique because of its regional diversity. What works in Los Angeles might not work in Nashville. Use SEMrushs “Position Tracking” tool to segment data by ZIP code or city. In Ahrefs, filter backlink opportunities based on .us domains or region-specific referring pages. With this localized data you can:
- Create geo-specific landing pages targeting high-performing areas
- Pursue backlinks from local news sites or blogs in underperforming regions
- Tweak your content strategy based on regional search behavior trends
A Quick Example: Interpreting & Acting on Data
If SEMrush shows that youre ranking #3 for “Miami personal injury lawyer” but dropping to #10 in Tampa, consider revisiting your Tampa-focused content, checking for missing citations, or building new Tampa-based backlinks through Ahrefs’ Link Intersect tool.
The Bottom Line on Tracking Local Success
You don’t have to guess whether your local SEO efforts are paying off. With the right tools and a U.S.-focused approach, you can identify what’s working where—and adjust smartly based on real data.
